“A lot of it was about giving the players the confidence that they can do it again. It’s a matter of time before we put it together.”

Aiton’s side faces former club Leeds today, a place he kept a house as he thought he would retire there.

Instead, the hooker flies the Papua New Guinea flag in France, to the point where he has taken his French partner to his home village, dressed her in tribal costume and taught her some of the local dialect.

Despite retiring from internationals after last year’s World Cup, he maintains strong contacts with the game in his homeland and is ecstatic England Knights, an emerging England side, is heading there for two matches in the Autumn.

And even though it is meant to help England’s chances at Test level, he feels it may benefit the Pacific island’s too, warning whoever goes with Paul Anderson’s side to be prepared for sights they have never seen before.

The 32-year-old said: “Even I, who was prepared for the scenes, was like, ‘Woah’ at the World Cup.

“I couldn’t believe how big the game is there now. After our last game, everyone was at the side of the road from the stadium to the hotel, cheering our little white bus.

“I think the Knights players will really enjoy it too. That’s all I can say, enjoy it.”